The many challenges included photographing what happens inside a Black Hole, simulating laser beams and a hologram, and shooting live action to tie in with special effects not yet in existence
The “Golden Era" of Hollywood was noted for films having a great deal of production value. This look was the result of shot-by-shot craftsmanship under the direction of artists and technicians who learned and perfected their skills under the aegis of the major studios. Frank Phillips, ASC, is one of the remaining practitioners of this style of studio production cinematography.
Phillips joined the industry as a camera loader for MGM in the mid-30's and has worked behind the camera with Harry Stradling, ASC, Charles Rosher, ASC, and Joseph Ruttenberg, ASC. His career includes assignments under directors Gene Kelly, Stanley Dorian, Busby Berkely, George Stevens and Robert Stevenson. He was personally selected by Darryl F. Zanuck for his first cinematographic assignment on THE RACERS.
Then came Disney. Phillips has held Director of Photography assignments on more than twenty Disney features including SCANDALOUS JOHN, BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS, ISLAND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD, THE APPLE DUMPLING GANG, ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN and PETE‘S DRAGON. On these and other productions he was among those most responsible for maintaining the Disney “big studio" look.
These were the skills executive producer Ron Miller and director Gary Nelson needed when they selected Phillips to handle the behind the camera chores for Walt Disney Productions on their epic $20 million deep-space adventure, THE BLACK HOLE.
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